The present invention relates to a process for preparing a carbon/carbon composite.
A carbon/carbon composite is a material having superior properties, for example, maintaining high strength and high elastic modulus and exhibiting only a small thermal expansion coefficient in an inert gas atmosphere even at high temperatures higher than 1,000.degree. C. Its utilization as parts of aeronautic and space machinery and devices, brakes, furnace materials, etc. is expected.
However, in the case where a unidirectional laminate, a two-dimensional textile laminate, a mat-like laminate, or a felt-like laminate, is used as a reinforcing fiber for the carbon/carbon composite, if there is used a conventional pitch, furan resin, or a phenolic resin, as a carbonaceous matrix precursor, there will occur a ply separation under a strong bending stress, thus resulting in that the breaking strength of the composite is deteriorated.
In order to eliminate such drawback there has been made an attempt of using a three-dimensional fabric as a reinforcing fiber for the carbon/carbon composite. In this case, however, a complicated process involving a long manufacturing time is required.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned problem and provide a simple process capable of preparing a carbon/carbon composite having high strength without causing ply separation.